5 Best Convenience Store Management Software For Multi-Unit Operators

Management
General
Published on:
September 30, 2024
Read Time:
7
min

According to a new Convenience Stores Market Size analysis, the convenience store business is expected to increase significantly in the next years, reaching a staggering USD 3.12 trillion in 2028

Running a convenience store is challenging. 

Running multiple store locations presents a completely different set of challenges altogether. While running multiple locations can be a financially wise decision because of different convenience store streams, it also has its unique challenges. 

With these difficult factors in mind, choosing a specialized multi-location solution for your business is critical.

Convenience stores, with their extensive inventory, tight profit margins, and often long hours of operation, require a robust back-office system. Investing in such a system is crucial for managing tasks efficiently and optimizing revenue.

Choosing a convenience store management software that is sophisticated enough to handle the specific demands of multi-location businesses is more complex than it may seem. Multi-location operators require convenience store management software to sync changes across multiple venues at once, view the performance of all their locations in one place, and allow customers to redeem loyalty points and gift cards at different venues, among other things.

With this in mind, we've compiled the most comprehensive review of the best in class multi location; multi unit convenience store management software.

Sign up to get expert articles, guides, tips, and inspiration straight to your inbox.
You're in! Look out for our emails in your inbox.
Oh no! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Best Convenience Store Management Software For Multi-Unit Business Operators

The following c store management software are known for their overall robust features, affordability, and a combination of different things that turn guess work into great work!

Later on, we have also discussed some of the important aspects of convenience store management through digital solutions, so that if it's your first time using one such program, you wouldn't have a hard time getting acquated with the right solution.

Our Top Picks
#1
Xenia
The Workforce Operations Platform for Frontline Teams
#2
Zenput
For general operations management
#3
Jolt
Good for small to medium businesses

1. Xenia - C Store Solution For Multi Unit Operators

If you’re looking for a powerful, yet intuitive, all-in-one operations management platform tailored for convenience store management, look no further than Xenia.

Designed to enhance communication, streamline daily operations, and provide actionable insights for better decision-making, Xenia takes multi-location management to a whole new level.

But how does Xenia do that? 

Through the integration of field, store, and remote office operations into a cohesive system, Xenia helps drive efficiency, consistency, and superior customer experiences across all locations. 

Some of our most prominent features to help stores scale include store task management, detailed store management templates and checklists, real-time communication, and up-to-date reporting. 

Moreover, by scaling daily operations, improving communication, and providing valuable insights, the c-store software ensures high-quality and consistent customer experiences, ultimately driving revenue and business scalability. 

Automate Daily Operations

Streamlined day-to-day operations are key to ensuring the smooth running of convenience stores across multiple locations. Digitized checklists and reports simplify these processes, giving GMs a better understanding of what’s happening on the store floor. This way they can enhance response time, simplify workflow, and gain a comprehensive view of store operations. 

Here’s how these fully customizable checklists can benefit your convenience store:

  • Store opening and closing checklists
  • Product expiration checklists
  • Damaged product template
  • Store cleaning checklists
  • Store maintenance checklist

By storing all your checklists digitally, you can easily retrieve data whenever it's needed.

For example, if your designated store manager asks for a certain procedure, such as a store cleaning activity performed on a specific date, you can quickly find the exact information in the application, avoiding the hassle of sifting through paper records.

This area is based on a recurring activity to maintain a certain standard of upkeep for the store - since it impacts the customer experience. Checklists, in this regard, offer a quick and efficient way of getting things done, daily, without relying on a paper-based trail of tasks.

Standardize Work Orders Across All Locations

Moving on, manage store work order requests seamlessly with this software. 

From receiving and approving to assigning and tracking, our platform allows you to efficiently handle requests from team members.. 

Enable requesters to submit, track, and communicate with your team without accessing operations templates or unrelated work orders.

  • Transparent Reporting: Compile and export detailed request reports for transparency and informed decision-making.
  • Detailed View: Access detailed information about inbound requests, including status, location, and descriptions.
  • Approve and Assign: Approve requests and assign them to the appropriate teams.
  • Image Requests: Include image requests in the work order for due diligence.

Streamline Communication

Effective communication is the backbone of any retail operation

Whether it’s from headquarters to store managers, HR, or department heads to the team, or convenience store managers to employees, this store management solution provides robust communication tools such as in-app chat and provides:

  • Employee Directory: Easily search for team members' and managers’ contact details within the app, keeping personal and work contacts separate and up-to-date.
  • Chat Groups and Channels: Facilitate efficient day-to-day communication by creating specific groups for each department, allowing you to separate work life from private life.
  • Realtime Push Notifications and Updates: Keep everyone informed with both formal (team goals, new items, promotions) and informal (birthdays, weddings) announcements.

Ready to streamline your operations and manage work orders effortlessly? 

Features

Pricing

  • Free Forever: For the first 5 users with access to all the basic features
  • Starter: $99 / month for the first 15 users with access to core features 
  • Premium: $199 / month for the first 15 users with unlimited access to all the core & advanced features
  • Custom: Need something tailored to your organization?

Book a Free Demo Today!

Rated 4.9/5 stars on Capterra
Free Version:
Pricing:
Supported Platforms:
Available for up to 5 users
Starter for $99/month for the first 20 users (with free trial period)
Available on iOS, Android and Web
Free Version:
Available for up to 5 users
Pricing:
Premium for $99/month for the first 20 users (with free trial period)
Supported Platforms:
Available on iOS, Android and Web
Download Xenia app on

2. Zenput

Zenput enables operations at 50,000 sites across 40 countries for the largest restaurants, groceries, convenience shops, and other retail chains across the world. 

Their technology for convenience store operations execution optimizes task, audit, and incident management to increase productivity and equip field and store staff to do their tasks effectively.

The platform provides multi-unit operators with strong operations capabilities. 

Their data-driven platform lets you know precisely what's going on in each shop so you can make wise business choices and increase income. It also offers insights into top-performing workers and locations, highlights areas for development, and more.

Features

  • Task Management: Gain confidence that tasks are carried out accurately and on schedule in the shops and fields. Equip staff to be more responsible and time-efficient by centrally assigning, monitoring, and reporting on recurring and ad hoc tasks across all locations.
  • Audits & Corrective Action: Conduct efficient store audits to establish responsibility and uphold strict standards. With automatic follow-up tasks and resolution tracking, you can keep an eye on problems and avoid them falling between the cracks. Gain real-time insight into job completion rates and performance across all locations.
  • Incident Management: Acquire incident reports from workers in the field and in shops instantly, set up alarms to alert management, and follow problems through to completion. Give your staff more authority by making it simple for them to use their mobile devices to take pictures, record information, and make reports.

Pricing

  • Contact Zenput for a detailed pricing plan

3. Jolt

With Jolt, you can easily digitize and simplify convenience shop operations overnight by combining sophisticated label printing with a tablet-based POS software solution. 

Businesses often collaborate with Jolt to convert from paper-based to digital checklists.

Jolt also has an effective training library, a drag-and-drop planner, and a face-recognition time clock. 

The program provides company owners and managers with the necessary insights to establish and oversee a profitable convenience shop by including time stamps on each label that is created. With Jolt, inventory management is made simple, productivity is increased, and waste is reduced.

Key Features

  • Jolt Lists: A task management system that is simple to use, well-organized, and allows users to create, assign, and monitor tasks—all of which boost employee responsibility and productivity.
  • Streamlined Scheduling: An easy-to-use interface with customizable choices and seamless platform integration for managing productive work schedules across many locations. 
  • Jolt Time Clock: With GPS position monitoring assuring precise timekeeping, the integrated time clock function enables workers to punch in from a variety of devices, including mobile applications. 

Pricing

  • Jolt customizes its offerings depending on your exact needs.

4. KORONA

Cashiers can concentrate their efforts on delivering exceptional customer service since KORONA's POS claims the fastest checkout speed in the retail industry. 

When to reorder and how to set up future orders to maintain ideal stock levels are two things that their POS system's intelligent inventory management can assist you with.

The cloud-based POS system from KORONA also has automatic order placing, robust product importation, and label and tag printing capabilities. In addition, KORONA can examine and recalculate the optimal reorder levels according to patterns, seasons, and previous purchases. To sum up, this program takes the uncertainty and time out of inventory management for your convenience business.

Key Features

  • Mobile Retail Inventory Management: Use the KORONA POS inventory mobile app or do inventory counts straight from your point of sale to avoid spreadsheets and difficult imports.
  • Detailed Sales Reports and Metrics: Obtain comprehensive store-specific reports or aggregate data to obtain a comprehensive understanding of your business activities. 
  • Prevent Overstocking and Understocking: In order to ensure that you never have an excess of any product, slow seller reports highlight which goods aren't selling. Additionally, KORONA POS will alert you to assist you in maintaining the proper stock level.

Pricing

  • KORONA POS Core: $59/month
  • KORONA POS Retail: $69/month

5. Leaf.Io

LEAFIO AI Retail Platform Price, Reviews & Features - Capterra South Africa  2024

The LEAFIO AI Retail Platform, a leading convenience store software, empowers you to set up your replenishment system in the "empty warehouse" mode. 

It allows you to build a multi-echelon supply chain, efficiently distributing stocks between stores to minimize balances and frozen funds. 

The platform ensures optimal availability for each SKU with highly accurate forecasts and helps form product displays considering current balances, maintaining stock levels until the next delivery. 

In addition to that, it automatically creates planograms to maximize the margin per meter or foot of shelf space. The platform also aids in selecting the optimum assortment under varying conditions.

Key Features

  • Inventory Optimization: Maintain autonomous inventory balances at every stage of the supply chain to easily satisfy customer demands.
  • Shelf Efficiency: Automate the creation of your planograms and take total control of your merchandising operation, from planning to execution.
  • Assortment Performance: Make an assortment plan, then use deep analytics and an AI assistant to oversee and improve it.

Pricing

  • Contact vendor for detailed pricing.

How are Convenience Stores Different From Traditional Stores?

Retail, grocery, and convenience businesses serve various purposes. In grocery shops, customers can get a variety of home or food items.

Convenience shops, on the other hand, serve customers who need just one or two items. There is no need for a trolley since most consumers will just purchase a few products by paying cash or having them logged in the register. 

However, as retail enterprises shift to digital platforms, convenience store management software has become indispensable. It is also for convenience shops to include parts of retail and hospitality into their operations, where efficiency is critical.

Convenience Store Management Software

Robust convenience store management software is the foundation of today's most resilient and successful businesses, whether you operate a 500-location worldwide fast-food chain like Taco Bell or a 200 - locations convenience store chain like Timewise throughout Texas.

However, not all platforms are equal. The finest franchisee operations software is particularly created for multi-unit operators and is intended to serve different teams and roles within a company. 

Instead of getting multiple-point solutions, consider investing in a single, centralized system that meets the requirements of everyone at every site, from junior employees to senior management. After all, the easiest approach to get everyone on the same page is to have everyone—at the store, in the field, and at headquarters—use the same system.

Platforms for convenience store operations execution (OpsX), like Xenia, do just that. 

Moreover, they are scalable and made to grow with your business's needs, saving you from having to start from scratch each time you add a new location or increase the scope of your services. 

If all goes according to plan, you could own 200 stores by the end of the year, and maybe even more.

Because everything is centrally controlled, readily configurable, and quickly accessible, a robust end-to-end operations execution software for convenience stores can help you effectively expand your reach. 

This includes your standard operating procedures, training materials, safety regulations, and brand standardization, which is especially important in case of multiple branches that need to have a certain standard maintained.

Ultimately, businesses can streamline tedious procedures, expedite information flow, and enhance visibility and responsibility across their business with ease when using a single solution.

Key Areas To Consider When Evaluating Convenience Store Management Software

Three important factors need to be taken into account when choosing the right technology for your store: execution, communication, and improvement. 

Here's why it's important to pay attention to these details and how to make sure the store management software system you choose is capable of doing the job.

  1. Robust Communication Channels

Trends evolve rapidly. One day you're trying to add an extra checkout queue in the first aisle, and the next, you're installing separators and spacing waiting lines six feet apart.

The need for real-time communication is the one thing that managing a pandemic has taught us.

The success of your business depends on your capacity to inform employees and customers about issues like updated health and safety procedures or recalled products.

Furthermore, it involves more than simply getting communications out fast; it also involves making sure that they are understood and responded to in a timely way.

What to look for

Choose a system or restaurant solution that you to:

  • Instantaneously notify every store, department, or employee of important news, updates, and announcements.
  • Whether you're updating a weekly food safety evaluation or introducing a new sanitization process, instantly implement or roll out a daily or weekly procedure to every shop.
  • Configure mobile devices to send out automatic notifications to employees when equipment malfunctions, temperatures exceed limits, or in other situations. 
  1. Drives Execution and Ensure Compliance

Corporate brands demand franchisees to consistently roll out and successfully execute new strategies and initiatives across dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of sites.

The chance of mistakes increases with the number of stores involved.

Zenput and Technomic polled hundreds of operators in 2021 on the daily execution problems they deal with.

Only 20% of franchisee operators characterized their businesses' compliance as "very effective," even though seven out of ten felt that adhering to SOPs was essential to provide a consistent customer experience. 

Whether the work is a one-time event, such as replacing a damaged shop fixture, or it is planned and recurrent, such as daily HACCP inspections, excellent store management software makes it simple to assign, create, and track the fulfillment of tasks.

What to look for

Choose a system that enables you to:

  • Create and modify digital forms, checklists, audits, and more. 
  • Immediately provide your teams with access to the most current versions from any location.
  • Using your smartphone, track work order completion rates in real-time by store, district, or whole business.
  • Get automatic notifications when tasks are performed or done improperly.
  • Keep track of remedial measures to promote responsibility and guarantee prompt resolution.
  • Take pictures to provide rapid visual confirmation of the quality of the completed store tasks. 
  • Remotely check for signs of food safety, such as label expiry dates and temperatures
  1. Prioritizes Opportunities for Improvement Through Corrective Actions

In the end, the shop management software system you choose should facilitate data-driven decision-making by the leadership team over how to enhance and expand the business's operations. 

Accurate, up-to-date performance and compliance insights can assist in identifying possible problems before they become more serious and, in the process, can also highlight important coaching opportunities.

What to look for

It is essential that field teams can allocate, monitor, and evaluate audit outcomes across your business, and use this information to monitor advancements made against predetermined brand targets and goals. 

Choose a store management system that offers:

  • A dashboard that shows shop performance and compliance around the clock from anywhere.
  • Reporting that is role-specific and targeted to help field managers monitor developments and spot functional patterns.
  • Both quantitative and qualitative performance data, enable them to assess the frequency, speed, and effectiveness of job completion and make appropriate adjustments.

Over To You

And there you have it.

Some of the best convenience store management programs that you can sign up for easily - and that too, without chucking up a huge amount of money upfront. 

By the way, if it’s your first time transitioning to a digital solution for your convenience store, we recommend going on a trialing spree.

Check each platform of your choice through a free account for evaluation purposes. Once you are satisfied with your desired c store software, simply move on to a paid plan that you feel comfortable with, and take things from there.

Good luck!

Unify Operations, Safety and Maintenance
Unite your team with an all-in-one platform handling inspections, maintenance and daily operations
Get Started for Free
Streamline All Your Convenience Store Operations With Xenia's Digital Solutions
Get Started for Free
Rated 4.9/5 stars on Capterra

Latest Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question? Find our FAQs here. If your question hasn't been answered here, contact us.

Illustration for empty FAQ section.
No FAQs Found

Looks like there's no data available in our FAQ section at the moment.